1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a four link bar suspension for a vehicle and more specifically it relates to a race car four link bar to chassis remotely adjustable brackets for providing quick, efficient, and precise adjustment for trailing arms on a race car chassis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
There are many types of suspension systems that are currently being utilized in the automotive industry, specifically in the racing industry. Among these are ladder bar, torque arm, swing arm, three-link, and four-link suspension systems. Presently, four-link suspension systems are preferred for a variety of reasons. First, four-link suspension systems are compact in size. While typical ladder bars are about 34-36 inches in length, typical four-links are about 15-22 inches long. Four-link suspension systems provide a vehicle manufacturer with additional floor space which allows the driver to sit further rearward in the vehicle with respect to the front end of the vehicle and thus, under the main roll cage area. In four-link suspension systems the bars can face the front or the back of the car in reference to the rear axles allowing for even more clearance for the driver and drastically altered handling characteristics within the suspension. Locating a driver further rearward also allows more weight to be distributed towards the rear of the vehicle and thus, over the rear wheels. This also allows the driver to be more comfortable and gives the rear wheels of the vehicle more traction. Additionally, four-link designs make it easier to distribute loads to the rest of the chassis structure. U.S. Pat. No. 6,698,775 to Ness discloses a four-link vehicle suspension system and is hereby incorporated by reference into this application.
Current four-link systems also provide advantages over other known suspension systems because they provide a greater number of instant/center (I/C) choices than other suspension systems. The I/C or instant center is an imaginary point, determined as the center of a radius made by a moving suspension that is the point of lift (positive or negative). Moreover, current four-link suspension systems are also advantageous because they provide a wide range of possible location choices. These four-link systems further allow easy pinion angle changes, easy alignment of the rear to the centerline of a vehicle, and easy preload adjustments.